UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 11, 2019

 

LIQUIDIA TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-38601

 

20-1926605

(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)

 

(Commission
File Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

419 Davis Drive, Suite 100, Morrisville, North Carolina

 

27560

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (919) 328-4400

 

 

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange on which registered

Common stock

 

LQDA

 

Nasdaq Capital Market

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company x

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. x

 

 

 


 

Item 5.02                                           Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

 

On September 11, 2019, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Liquidia Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), appointed Joanna Horobin, M.B., Ch.B to the Board as a Class I director to fill the vacancy in the Board following Edward Mathers’ resignation on May 8, 2019.  The term of office for Class I directors does not expire until the Company’s 2022 annual meeting of stockholders.  Additionally, effective September 11, 2019, Dr. Horobin was appointed as a member of the Company’s Research and Development Committee.  A copy of the press release announcing Dr. Horobin’s appointment is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Dr. Horobin, age 64, served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the clinical development, and ultimately the commercialization, of drug candidates for both oncology and rare disease indications (“Idera”) (Nasdaq: IDRA), from November 2015 until July 2019. Prior to joining Idera, Dr. Horobin served as the Chief Medical Officer of Verastem, Inc. (“Verastem”) (Nasdaq: VSTM), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing medicines to improve the survival and quality of life of cancer patients, from September 2012 to July 2015. Prior to joining Verastem, she served as President of Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Syndax”) (Nasdaq: SNDX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing an innovative pipeline of cancer therapies, from September 2006 to September 2012 and as Chief Executive Officer from September 2006 until April 2012. Prior to that, Dr. Horobin held several roles of increasing responsibility at global pharmaceutical corporations such as Rhône-Poulenc Rorer (now Sanofi) and Chugai-Rhône-Poulenc. Dr. Horobin received her medical degree from the University of Manchester, England.  Dr. Horobin currently serves on the boards of Kymera Therapeutics and Nordic Nanovector ASA. Dr. Horobin has no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K and was not appointed pursuant to any arrangement or understanding between Dr. Horobin and any other person.

 

In connection with Dr. Horobin’s appointment, on September 11, 2019, Dr. Horobin was granted a nonstatutory option to purchase 15,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.001 par value per share, pursuant to the Company’s non-employee director compensation policy described under the heading “General Policy Regarding Compensation of Directors” disclosed in the Company’s proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 25, 2019.  Pursuant to this policy, Dr. Horobin will also receive annual cash compensation equal to $35,000 as a non-employee director.  On September 11, 2019, the Company’s Compensation Committee approved the payment of $5,000 annually to members of the Research and Development Committee, with the annual cash compensation for the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Research and Development Committee remaining at $32,000 and $15,000, respectively.

 

Item 9.01                                           Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)

 

Exhibit
No.

 

Exhibit

 

 

 

99.1

 

Press Release of Liquidia Technologies, Inc., dated September 12, 2019.

 

2


 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

September 12, 2019

 

Liquidia Technologies, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Richard D. Katz, M.D.

 

 

 

Name:

Richard D. Katz, M.D.

 

 

 

Title:

Chief Financial Officer

 

3


Exhibit 99.1

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Liquidia Technologies Appoints Industry Veteran Dr. Joanna Horobin to Board of Directors

 

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — September 12, 2019Liquidia Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: LQDA) (“Liquidia” or the “Company”), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company, today announced the appointment of Joanna Horobin, M.B., Ch.B., to the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) as a Class I director for a term expiring at the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders and to the Company’s Research and Development Committee.

 

“Joanna is an excellent addition to Liquidia’s Board as she is an industry veteran in drug development and commercialization across several therapeutic areas,” said Stephen Bloch, M.D., Chairman of the Board. “Her industry experience is a valuable asset as Liquidia targets submission of a new drug application by year-end to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for LIQ861, the Company’s lead clinical candidate to treat patients diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

 

Dr. Horobin has more than 30 years of successful pharmaceutical development experience. She was most recently Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior to that, she held positions as Chief Medical Officer at Verastem, Inc., CEO of Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and several roles of increasing responsibility at global pharmaceutical corporations such as Rhône-Poulenc Rorer (now Sanofi).  Dr. Horobin played significant leadership roles in the approvals of several prominent drugs across a breadth of therapeutic indications including oncology, cardiology, pulmonary, antibacterial and chronic pain.  Dr. Horobin received her medical degree from the University of Manchester, England. She currently serves on the boards of Kymera Therapeutics and Nordic Nanovector ASA.

 

“It’s exciting to join the Liquidia Board at this important time. I look forward to contributing my insights and experience as the Company matures into a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, while advancing its pipeline and expanding applications of its PRINT® technology into new options for patients,” stated Dr. Horobin.

 


 

About Liquidia

 

Liquidia is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutics using its proprietary PRINT technology to transform the lives of patients. Currently, Liquidia is focused on the development of two product candidates using its PRINT particle engineering platform: LIQ861 for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and LIQ865 for the treatment of local post-operative pain. Being evaluated in a phase 3 clinical trial (INSPIRE), LIQ861 is designed to improve the therapeutic profile of treprostinil by enhancing deep-lung delivery and achieving higher dose levels than current inhaled therapies by using a convenient, palm-sized, disposable dry powder inhaler. LIQ865, for which Liquidia has completed two phase 1 clinical trials, is designed to deliver sustained-release particles of bupivacaine, a non-opioid anesthetic, to treat local post-operative pain for three to five days through a single administration. For more information visit Liquidia’s website at www.liquidia.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This press release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, our business strategy and plans and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding clinical trials, clinical studies and other clinical work (including the funding therefor, anticipated patient enrollment, safety data, study data, trial outcomes, timing or associated costs), regulatory applications and related timelines, including the filing of an NDA for LIQ861, involve significant risks and uncertainties and actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied herein. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “will” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives and financial needs. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as a

 


 

number of uncertainties and assumptions. Moreover, we operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment and our industry has inherent risks. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the future events discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that these goals will be achieved, and we undertake no duty to update our goals or to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

Contact Information

 

Investors:
Jason Adair
Vice President, Business Development and Strategy
919.328.4400
jason.adair@liquidia.com

 

Media:
Christy Curran
Sam Brown Inc.
615.414.8668
media@liquidia.com